2006 LEXUS IS Complaints

INTERIOR PANEL PARTS (DASHBOARD, DOOR PANELS) MELTS IN HOT, HUMID CLIMATES. DURING THE SUMMER OF 2012 MY USED (PURCHASED IN MAY 2012) LEXUS IS350'S DASHBOARD AND UPPER DOOR PANEL SURFACES WOULD GLISTEN AND EMIT A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR WHEN PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE SUN/HEAT. THE WET DASHBOARD SURFACE WOULD REFLECT OFF THE WINDSHIELD AND IMPAIR VISION DURING DRIVING. IT WOULD TAKE LESS THAN 30 MINS PARKED IN THE SUN/HEAT FOR THE PANEL SURFACES TO BEGIN GLISTENING. ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN THE SURFACE OF THE DASHBOARD AND DOOR PANELS DID NOT WORK, AS THE MATERIAL REMAINING WOULD AGAIN MELT AND GLISTEN. LEXUS HAS ISSUED AN INTERNAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERSHIPS OF THE PROBLEM. I COMPLAINED TO LEXUS AND THEY AGREED TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE COST OF A NEW DASHBOARD, BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE LABOR (AROUND $800). I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE DOOR PANELS MYSELF WITH USED ONES SOURCED FROM LESS HOT/HUMID CLIMATES (4 AT AROUND $150 EACH). THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE, AS VISION WHILE DRIVING WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPEDED BY THE REFLECTION OFF THE DASHBOARD. IN ADDITION TO THIS IMMEDIATE SAFETY RISK, THE STRONG CHEMICAL SMELL IN THE CAR COULD BE POTENTIALLY TOXIC AND POSE LONG-TERM HEALTH RISKS. *TR

MY 2006 LEXUS IS 250 AWD WAS AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR ADDITIONAL RECALL WORK, AND OTHER MAINTENANCE. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. NOTE: THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS NOT ON UPON INITIAL INSPECTION. I NEVER LEFT THE LOT AND WAS PUT IN ANOTHER CAR. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE AIRBAG WIRING HARNESS, AND THEY CLAIMED THEY DID NOT DO IT. THEY DIRECTED ME TO LEXUS CORPORATE. UPON INSPECTION AND MY OWN INVESTIGATION, I DETERMINED THAT LEXUS WAS AWARE OF THE AIRBAGS NOT WORKING IN 2008 WHEN A LEXUS SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN WAS ISSUED ON 12/11/2008 (L-SB-0167-08) FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEMS STATING THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM IN THE 2006 - 2008 IS250 AND IS350, AND THE ISSUE WAS POOR WIRING INSULATION THAT WOULD COME UNRAVELED UNDER THE DASH. "R&R INSTRUMENT PANEL WIRE HARNESS" THE EXPOSED WIRE WOULD THEN GROUND OUT ON THE FRAME, AND THE AIRBAGS AND SEAT BELTS WOULD BE INOPERABLE IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. "SOME 2006-2008 MY IS250/350 VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A SRS LIGHT "ON" CONDITION WITH DTC B1861," LEXUS DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL, AS THEY CLAIM THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS, AND COVERED IT UNDER THE LEXUS RESTRAINT SYSTEM WARRANTY FOR 72 MONTHS OR 70,000 MILES, AND ONLY IF BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION BY THE OWNER OF THE CAR. "WARRANTY APPLICATION IS LIMITED TO CORRECTION OF A PROBLEM BASED UPON A CUSTOMER'S SPECIFIC COMPLAINT" AS THIS WAS NOT MADE PUBLIC, WE HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND OBVIOUS DEFECT. MY CAR IS NOW OUTSIDE THIS WARRANTY PERIOD, AND LEXUS WANTS US TO PAY 1/2 OF THE $3,000 REPAIR ORDER FOR A KNOWN SAFETY AND DEFECT ISSUE. *TR LEXUS CORPORATE AGREED TO REPAIR THE HARNESS AT NO COST. UPDATED 12/23/15. *JB

MY 2006 LEXUS IS 350 HAS A DEFECTIVE, MELTING DASH PANEL THAT REFLECTS A GLARE ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS IT IMPAIRS MY VISION TO SEE CLEARLY WHILE DRIVING. NEWER 2008-UP MODELS ARE MADE WITH DIFFERENT MATERIAL & DESIGN AND DON'T HAVE THIS ISSUE. WHEN I CALLED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE TO COMPLAIN OF THE MELTING DASH TO ASK FOR A NEW DASH PANEL THEY DENIED MY REQUEST BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. LEXUS IS IGNORING OWNERS WITH MODELS MANUFACTURED BEFORE THE NEWLY REDESIGNED DASH & DOOR PANELS. LEXUS KNOWS THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AS THEY HAVE EVEN RELEASED A TSIB(L-SB-0144-11). NOT ONLY IS THE DASH DEFECTIVE BUT THE DOOR PANELS GET STICKY AND MARKS EASILY WITH BARELY A TOUCH. I WAS AFRAID TO TOUCH THE DASH & DOOR PANELS FOR THE FEAR OF ACCIDENTALLY DAMAGING IT. I EVEN BOUGHT A SUNSHADE COVER TO PREVENT THE DASH FROM GETTING HOT, HOWEVER WHENEVER I TOOK OFF THE SUNSHADE I INEVITABLY SCRAPED THE SOFT, BRITTLE DASH. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD AS ALL OF THESE ACCIDENTAL DAMAGES LOWERS THE CAR VALUE. THIS IS BECOMING A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AS IT IS VERY COMMON ON ONLINE FORUMS LIKE CLUBLEXUS.COM AND MYIS.COM. I ACTUALLY GOT THE IDEA TO SUBMIT THIS INQUIRY FROM ANOTHER 06-08 IS 250 OWNER WHO WENT THROUGH NHTSA. I BELIEVE THE DASH PANEL IS A SAFETY HAZARD IN THAT THE SHINY GLARE FROM THE WINDSHIELD MAKES IT DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVE ENDANGERING MY LIFE AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I ALSO WISH TO HAVE NEW DOOR PANELS FROM THE NEWLY DESIGNED MODEL'S DOOR PANELS AS THESE NUISANCES CAN SIGNIFICANTLY DEPRECIATE THE CAR'S VALUE. *TR

THE CAR LIKE MANY PUSH BUTTON START CARS REQUIRES THAT YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN STARTING, BUT THE CAR WILL NOT START SOMETIMES AND/OR REQUIRES A LOT OF FORCE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO START THE CAR WHICH IS APPARENTLY DUE TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER GOING BAD. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR OR ABOUT 9000 MILES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LEXUS DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS WRONG BECAUSE IF YOU GOOGLE "LEXUS IS350 BRAKE PEDAL HARD" OR "LEXUS NOT STARTING" YOU WILL SEE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THEIR LEXUS, AND NOT JUST WITH THIS LEXUS MODEL. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE BRAKE BOOSTER IS THE PROBLEM AND THAT THE COST TO REPLACE IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1,100.00. AFTER CONTACTING LEXUS CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND POINTING OUT THAT A LOT OF LEXUS OWNERS SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY SAID IT IS NOT UNDER RECALL, AND THAT I MUST PAY FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I CAN SEE SITUATIONS WHERE A CAR NOT STARTING COULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT MORE UPSETTING IS THAT THERE IS CLEARLY A DEFECT THAT MANY LEXUS OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING, LEXUS PROBABLY KNOWS IT, BUT WILL NOT CORRECT IT OR RECALL IT. *TR

DASHBOARD AND DOOR PANELS ARE BEGINNING TO MELT AND BECOME STICKY. MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN SOFT DASH MATERIAL IS SUSPECTED. MAY CAUSE INJURY TO DRIVER IF AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE FAILING DASH MATERIAL WERE TO BECOME SHRAPNEL AS THE BAGS DEPLOY AT HIGH PRESSURE. *TR

THE DASHBOARD ON THE LEXUS IS 250 IS MELTING AND DISINTEGRATING LEAVING A SHINY RESIDUE THAT REFLECTS ON THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING IN THE SUN. THIS SHINY RESIDUE CAUSED BY THE MELTING OF THE DASHBOARD IMPAIRS VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD MAKING IT DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING IN SUNLIGHT. I COULDN'T SEE DEBRIS THAT WAS ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING AND HIT THE DEBRIS ON THE ROAD, THIS CAUSED ME TO SWERVE AROUND AND ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING ON A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD. THIS SHINE REFLECTION ON THE WINDSHIELD IS UNPREDICTABLE AS THE LOW VISIBILITY ONLY OCCURS WHEN THE SUN REFLECTS ON THE DASHBOARD. I CAN'T PREDICT WHICH DIRECTION I WILL BE DRIVING, FACING THE SUN OR NOT, MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT ALL TIMES. *TR

FRONT TIRES ON MY VEHICLE ARE DELAMINATING IN THE TREAD AREA ROUGHLY 1-2 INCHES FROM THE SIDEWALL (BOTH INNER AND OUTER EDGE OF TIRE). TREADWEAR OTHERWISE IS FINE (APPROXIMATELY 29,000 MILES USAGE). *TR

THE DASH BOARD HAS BEEN MADE OF OF DEFECTIVE MATERIAL, IT HAS A VERY BAD GLARE LIKE A MIRROR. I GET SO SCARED BECAUSE THE GLARE GETS REALLY BAD THE SUNNIER IT IS OUT SIDE. IT REFLECTS RIGHT INTO MY EYES WHILE DRIVING. *TR

WHENEVER THE CAR IS EXPOSED UNDER THE SUN. THE DASHBOARD SEEMS TO BE MELTING WHICH MAKES IT SHINY AND IS MAKING DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 LEXUS IS 350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD AND ALL OF THE DOOR PANELS HAVE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75000.